Nets vs. Knicks Showdown Much Bigger Than Bragging Rights

By Mark Wilson

Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets‘ roller coaster season has managed to go unnoticed outside of Brooklyn thanks in large part to the New York Knicks and their own roller coaster season. The Nets were able to clinch a playoff berth thanks to their victory against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Now it’s time for the battle of New York with the Nets squaring off against the rejuvenated Knicks at Madison Square Garden tonight. The Nets have turned around a 10-21 record into a 40-33 miracle, while the Knicks are trying to figure out what happened to their 50 percent win team of last season. Carmelo Anthony is still lighting up opponents with his dazzling offensive skills, but up until recently, he has been a one man show.

With the emergence of Amare Stoudemire now playing like his former All-Star self, the Knicks have erased a six-game deficit and sit only one game out of the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets are in and now they are just playing for position. They currently sit in fifth with hopes of moving upward. A win tonight will get them closer to their goal of having home-court advantage in the first round. The veteran leadership the Nets are displaying has them on a roll. Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce has put the team on their backs and have them on the verge of one of the greatest turnarounds in NBA history.

This is not just another game on the schedule for the players or the fans. This is a battle for bragging rights in a city where the mouth is a weapon. The season series is currently tied at a game apiece, but the Knicks need this more than the Nets do at the moment. The Knicks can’t afford to fall any further behind the Atlanta Hawks.

The city of New York is buzzing with anticipation regarding this matchup and fans alike will battle in blogs, Facebook, Twitter, bars and in the stands until there is only one team standing at the end. Both teams have to commended for their resilience through a tough season and how they have clawed their way back into the hunt. This game will come down to heart and right now, they both want much more than just bragging rights and keys to the city.